Your TN tax dollars at work: Animal Control refuses to pick up two strays, tells woman to turn them loose. She does and a neighbor's pit bull attacks them

TENNESSEE -- "I care about animals, I love animals, I put them in my fence."

Charmaine Goodwin took a picture of the two dogs she says she was trying to protect Friday from getting hit by the many cars that travel in front of her Bennett Road home.

She says she called East Ridge Animal Services for an officer to pick them up and was surprised by their answer. "She said let the dogs out and they'll find their way back home," recalls Goodwin.

Against her own judgement, Goodwin heeded the advice and moments later, East Ridge Police and Animal Services responded a few doors down to her home.

"That pit bull got a hold of them and mauled them and left his one little leg a dangling," says the tearful neighbor.

Goodwin says it was an attack that could have been prevented.

We went to East Ridge Animal Control for answers, and got few.

"I can have her call you," said the lone officer at the East Ridge Shelter.

We were told Animal Services Director Andrea Dillard would talk to us, but in the meantime we spoke with East Ridge Police's Public Information Officer Corporal Robert Wade on Charmaine's call for help.

"She hung up the phone before animal control had the information that they needed to come respond to address the issue," said Wade after conferring with Animal Services.

"That's bull crap," says Charmaine, who admits to hanging up the phone in disgust after being told multiple times the two dogs would not be picked up.

Goodwin says East Ridge Animal Services is at odds with it's own mission statement of engendering a culture of compassion for animals, and says the next time something similar happens, she won't be calling them.

 "I'm just gonna put them in my pen, keep 'em safe, and hope someone gets them. If they don't, I will find them a home because East Ridge pound won't do nothing," says Goodwin.

The owner of the two dogs attacked says his 10 year old basset hound named Bandit suffered multiple bite and puncture wounds and sustained serious injuries to the dog's lower body.

The black puppy named Smokey escaped relatively unscathed. The dogs live next door to the alleged attacking pit bull, who, according to police, is with its owner tonight.

It's unknown whether any charges may be filed in connection to the attack.

We have yet to get a response from East Ridge Animal Services despite assurances to the contrary.

(WRCB - Mar 28, 2014)